The Ultratravel top 10 winter treats

From hot-spring holidays in Japan to romantic rail journeys through Siberia,
snow travel is the way to go. Nigel Tisdall selects 10 dreamy trips.

To heaven by husky: Svalbard, Norway

Far above the Arctic Circle, the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard is a
savagely attractive land of glaciers, polar bears and explorers.

Here you can take a three-day husky safari across the frozen fjords to stay
aboard Noorderlicht , a splendid red Dutch-built schooner caught in the
winter ice. The adventure starts at Basecamp Spitsbergen, a trapper’s
lodge-style hotel in Longyearbyen, constructed from driftwood, slate and
furs, with 16 en-suite rooms. After that you’re off across the virgin snow,
mushing a fiercely-motivated team of Alaskan dogs, with which you can
interact over the 43-mile drive to the ship. Built in 1912, and modernised
with 10 cabins and a bar, the ship is a marvellous hideaway from which to
keep an eye out for polar bears and the Northern Lights.

A four-night Husky Safari, from February to May, costs from £1,695
through Activities Abroad (01670 789 991, www.activitiesabroad.com),
including two nights at Basecamp Spitsbergen and two aboard
Noorderlicht. Transfers and flights are additional, from £450,
travelling via Oslo and Tromsø.